By: Norma Camacho
KENNESAW, Ga. - Freshman guard Jamil Miller came to Kennesaw State ready to make his impact on the men's basketball team. Miller, a native of Spokane, Wash., and most recently at Combine Academy in North Carolina to KSU, is excited to grow and make his contribution to the Owls.
"Honestly, it's been a great transition from Combine to here," Miller said. "The work has all been hard, but this team, that's why I came here. They make sure that I know what to do and all the things I need to do."
Miller's connection with the team was immediate, which helped him decide to commit to the Black and Gold. "I chose KSU because of how I felt on my official visit," he explained. "Everybody was together and as a family. I just felt really comfortable here."
Miller's connection with Coach Pettway also played a crucial role in his decision to join the Owls. "We really get along, and he believes in my game in a way that feels complete. Coach Pettway, he kind of resembles some of my family, and I really get along with him," Miller shared. "He believes in my game, and I felt like he just completed my game out of all the other schools that recruited me."
Now settled in on campus, Miller is gaining valuable insight from the upperclassmen on the team. "It's been really fun. We've got a lot of good upperclassmen, and they're teaching every day," he said. "Everybody's super vocal, everybody's super helpful, and I've been learning every single day. There's not a day that I don't learn something new."
When Miller looks back on his time at Combine Academy, he says it helped him get ready for the intensity of collegiate basketball. "Honestly, it was a really big part of my process to get to the Division I level," he said. "They did a lot of things that we do here now—just a lot of lifting and a lot of hard coaching, going hard every day."
Miller has high expectations for himself and his team during his freshman season. "One of my goals was to help my team win a conference championship, and to do the best I can on the court," he said. "Those are really the only two goals that I got."
His strength on the defensive end is something Miller takes pride in and hopes to bring to the team. "My role is really just being an athlete, playing defense, and I'm one of the better defenders on the team," he shared. "So, really, just locking down the best guy on the other team every night is my focus."
Already making strides academically, Miller's efforts have been recognized early in his college career. "School-wise, I've been doing really good here. I got Owl of the Month my first month academically," he said. "On the court, the coaches still motivate me every day. They know how hard it is."
Miller's game-day routine helps him prepare for the intensity of competition. "My game-day ritual is probably doing a little bit of recovery right before the game," he explained. "I have leg sleeve boots that compress my legs, and I have a Theragun that massages down my body because I jump a lot and do a lot of things defensively. And probably an hour nap before the game."
Interestingly, basketball wasn't always Miller's main focus growing up. "Honestly, I was a football player before I played basketball," he shared. "Then, as I played basketball at the same time, I kind of just fell in love with the sport."
With his first season underway, Miller embraces his role and brings his skills to the court. His defensive energy and dedication have made him a valuable addition to KSU's roster, and he's made his presence known on the offensive side as well. Currently, Miller ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 10.8 ppg, and is shooting 51.6% from the floor while averaging 6.0 rpg. Following a pair of outstanding games in wins over Abilene Christian and No. 24 Rutgers, he picked up his first Conference USA Freshman of the Week recognition. With Miller's hard work and commitment to learning, he's in store for a promising future with the Owls.
